


Nostalgia

by albert_al, oops (albert_al)



Series: APH Rarepair week 2019 [7]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Historical, M/M, Nationverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 07:06:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19146001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/albert_al/pseuds/albert_al, https://archiveofourown.org/users/albert_al/pseuds/oops
Summary: He wanted to tell him before the world got to him. But he did not know how to find the words to say it. So he said nothing at all.





	Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> Written for rarepair week, the prompt was nostalgia

He was new, he was nervous, he was out of place. His collar looked as though it was choking him, his face was flushed and he tripped over his own feet. **  
**

He clearly did not want to be here.

He stayed close to the wall and did not speak unless spoken to and when he did speak he spoke very little and awkwardly.

That was Ivan. The night they met.

Francis noticed him from the corner of his eye. 

Ivan slowly backed away from an old man who was attempting to make conversation with him.

Ivan obviously did not want to talk to him, from the way he glanced around looking for an escape. The man kept on and on and did not seem to notice.

Francis kept an eye on them, in his little circle of ladies of the court. They had him trapped, vying for his attention.

“This is the first time he has shown his face in society”

One woman said, tilting her head in Ivan’s direction.

“Oh I know, so strange isn’t he?”

“He keeps to himself, and his language is so coarse. He is like a… why he is like a bumpkin”

The women laughed, Francis stayed silent.

He nodded and separated himself from them, making his way toward Ivan.

“Excuse me, sir,” Francis said.

“May I have a talk with Mr. Braginsky?”

“Alone”. Francis added, an edge to his voice.

The man nodded and moved on to bother somebody else.

Ivan smiled gratefully, pulling at his collar.

Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead, Francis noticed how pale he was, and began to grow concerned.

“Are you alright? You seem pale.”

Ivan nodded “It’s just… a bit hot… in here” he wheezed “and this collar is… too tight”.

Francis looked around to see if anyone else was watching. When he determined all eyes were cast away from them, he smiled. 

“Follow me”

They stood on the balcony, watching the city below them.

Ivan seemed to relax in the fresh air, he loosened his collar out of necessity and basked in the cool night air.

The wind blew through their hair, Francis sighed and turned to him. **  
**

“You are?”

“Russian Empire”

Francis nodded, of course. It was him.

“I am-”

“You are France”

Francis chuckled, “I guess everyone knows by now…”

Ivan’s eyes widened “Yes. Of course. Everyone knows who you are. You are infamous, one of the great powers, you-"

 

Francis cringed, he had heard this many times. It did nothing for him, none of those titles or powers.

“Please. Call me Francis”

Tonight, he just wanted to feel like a person.

 

Ivan seemed confused, but he did not say anything. He averted his eyes and stared at the streets below.

“Then call me Ivan”

They shook hands, as Francis and Ivan.

They talked for the rest of the night, about this and that.

Francis smiled as he listened to Ivan talk, but inside his heart was aching.

Because he knew something, that Ivan didn’t.

On empires: how fickle they are, how they can either uplift or ruin you.

When your an empire, everyone is against you. No one is your friend.

But he did not know how to describe to it him or warn him against it.

He did not know how to teach him the lessons he had learned over the years.

 

He wanted to tell him before the world got to him.

But he did not know how to find the words to say it.

So he said nothing at all.

Francis had just fallen out of love.

Looking at Ivan.

He fell in it.


End file.
